4 October 2012

Things we haven't been talking much about in Election 2012

| johnboy
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There are piles of election guff blowing about that we’re not really bothering to pass on to you guys because it’s very dull, mostly inconsequential, and we’re all a bit sick of it. But here’s a quick rundown with the most honest answers you’re likely to see and those who care can knock themselves out in the comments.

    — Should the Liberals give their costings to Treasury? Probably

    — Will someone in Treasury corruptly hand over information to their mates in the Labor party? Probably

    — Does this justify the Liberals dragging the chain? Maybe

    — Will rates triple? Over a long enough timeframe, yes, over not dis-similar timeframes we’re all dead.

    — Will your income grow fast enough to pay for the increasing rates without messing with your life? For some of you yes, for others no.

    — Could Labor have done any of the plethora of things they’re promising over the preceding decade+ of Government? They really should have.

    — Could the machinery of ACT Government function more efficiently? It is hard to believe improvements could not be made (the Actew patronage machinery is particularly troubling, but all parties seem to rather like the idea)

OK, those who care feel free to vent.

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Mothy said :

Matt_Watts said :

Alright – so if I were to ask Al how he’d vote regarding the censure of the CM in her capacity as Health Minister, not for falsifying the data herself, but for refusing to investigate who the other data fraudsters were (following on from the Auditor-General’s finding), would that be a matter accountability or negativity?

I’d instead ask what the purpose of a censure motion is. Attention has already been drawn to the issue. Move on to the next thing.

Matt_Watts said :

As for the rates business….

Tell me why continuing to depend on stamp duty makes sense?

I’ve been open with the fact I do see benefits to the change, because the stream of income for the ACT government would be easier to predict and removing stamp duty would remove a barrier for empty nesters to downsize if they wish.

As I’ve said before, though, it’s an issue of fairness. People who own homes have already paid their stamp duty, and the intended replacement policy is that they’ll be paying that amount again every four years or so. Also, it’s going to force those on fixed incomes such as pensioners to downsize, whether they want to or not. Finally, a positive for the current policy under the banner of fairness is that it is a progressive tax ie those who purchase more houses (either as investments or in an upwardly mobile fashion) pay more tax than those who simply choose to pay off one family home.

Matt_Watts said :

Alright – so if I were to ask Al how he’d vote regarding the censure of the CM in her capacity as Health Minister, not for falsifying the data herself, but for refusing to investigate who the other data fraudsters were (following on from the Auditor-General’s finding), would that be a matter accountability or negativity?

I’d instead ask what the purpose of a censure motion is. Attention has already been drawn to the issue. Move on to the next thing.

Matt_Watts said :

As for the rates business….

Tell me why continuing to depend on stamp duty makes sense?

Gungahlin Al said :

People have had a gutful of the constant adversarial negativity that has typified the last four years of our Assembly. How can the Liberals expect anyone to take them seriously on something important when they are always complaining about absolutely every single thing? Boy cried wolf… The Council I was part of was free of party politics and every decision was made on its merits. The voting numbers changed constantly depending on the issue. It’s a better way of doing government. I know a lot of people questioned why then I joined in with the Greens – well this is how the Greens go about all their business – even down to ordinary meetings and debates, making it a very large part of the reason why. And I agree with the underlying policy platform.

The adversarial negativity is part of a broader trend of partisan politics in Australia, as we see by the school yard bullying and name calling that happens regularly in the House of Representatives.

Pirate Party Australia has a long term goal of revolutionizing the political process to foster participative democracy, at least within its own decision making process see http://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Polly

If any of our candidates (Mark Gibbons, Stuart Biggs or myself) are elected to the Legislative Assembly, we will vote for or against each proposal on its merits.

Glen Takkenberg
Pirate Party ACT for Ginninderra

Mothy said :

Gungahlin Al said :

People have had a gutful of the constant adversarial negativity that has typified the last four years of our Assembly. How can the Liberals expect anyone to take them seriously on something important when they are always complaining about absolutely every single thing? Boy cried wolf… The Council I was part of was free of party politics and every decision was made on its merits. The voting numbers changed constantly depending on the issue. It’s a better way of doing government. I know a lot of people questioned why then I joined in with the Greens – well this is how the Greens go about all their business – even down to ordinary meetings and debates, making it a very large part of the reason why. And I agree with the underlying policy platform.

And there, as though your work on the GCC were not reason enough already, is why you have my vote. Balance of Power politics.

Alright – so if I were to ask Al how he’d vote regarding the censure of the CM in her capacity as Health Minister, not for falsifying the data herself, but for refusing to investigate who the other data fraudsters were (following on from the Auditor-General’s finding), would that be a matter accountability or negativity?

As for the rates business, all I can do is refer to what Barr said in the assembly; I didn’t refer to the Quinlan review, but he did. Other than that, the only response from Labor and the Greens is “trust us”.

It may appear negative, but accountability has a role in politics (which is why I’m happy to post here). For all I know, the only reason the govt is claiming twenty years (as a policy, mind you) is precisely as a result of the Liberals’ campaign.

I support the Labor policy of phasing out stamp duty. This policy is about a decade overdue and if it had of been introduced earlier there would be less pain involved in the transition, however I do think the transition period is long enough to ensure a smooth transition. Over 20 years rates will have likely tripled without this anyway. What were your rates 20 years ago like?

Canberra needs a steady income stream, and relying on the fluctuations of the property market is shortsighted, and unfairly taxes those whose circumstances require them to sell and re-buy in another location for whatever reason, be it a relationship breakdown, to move closer to work, or get more space to raise children.
It will also make it easier for low income families to buy their own homes without the need for government intervention via the home buyer concession scheme to subsidize stamp duty.

The stamp duty on an average value house today (using figures from a random Belconnen property on allhomes worth $495k) is $17,813 and the yearly rates bill $1338.
Is it fair to make someone moving home pay over 13 years worth of rates up front?

On the topic of hard rubbish collection, as my colleague Stuart Biggs raised earlier in this thread, many small councils can do this cost effectively, why can’t we?

Glen Takkenberg
Pirate Party ACT for Ginninderra

Gungahlin Al said :

People have had a gutful of the constant adversarial negativity that has typified the last four years of our Assembly. How can the Liberals expect anyone to take them seriously on something important when they are always complaining about absolutely every single thing? Boy cried wolf… The Council I was part of was free of party politics and every decision was made on its merits. The voting numbers changed constantly depending on the issue. It’s a better way of doing government. I know a lot of people questioned why then I joined in with the Greens – well this is how the Greens go about all their business – even down to ordinary meetings and debates, making it a very large part of the reason why. And I agree with the underlying policy platform.

And there, as though your work on the GCC were not reason enough already, is why you have my vote. Balance of Power politics.

Yes Matt, hard indeed to tell where obfuscation ends and lies start, from both parties.

Gungahlin Al7:55 am 05 Oct 12

Matt_Watts said :

The ALP are back-peddling, yet the legislation to triple rates over the next several years has been passed.

Several? Since when does 20 plus years ever fall into the bracket of “several” Matt? That really is spinning to the extreme. “What a tangled web we weave, when we set out to deceive…” It seems it’s the Liberal spin on this that is unravelling as people start to do the maths and realise that Zed is trying to pull a fast one.

Masquara said :

…I’m afraid it confirmed that the Liberals’ advertising for the average detached house dweller about rates tripling is in fact true. And no, not over decades, but over a few years.

Masquara I refer you back to my previous (#20) – this average detached house dweller: 21 years, and very little difference from what was happening with general rates increases anyway. Hard numbers – not rough guesswork.

– what do TONK think?

They’ll lego the s*** out of it!

ummmm_no said :

Matt_Watts said :

I am curious as to why you can’t vote. I’m sure the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website can help you become a citizen.

(…) the legislation to triple rates over the next several years has been passed.

Given that you work at Immigration, I would expect you’d understand some of the potential pitfalls. Anyway, I wasn’t complaining, the declaration was intended mainly in the spirit of full disclosure.

If you have legislation to point to, give us specifics. Numbers. Your side is claiming it’s “fact”, lay it out.

Cool…

As for Barr, he referred to the Quinlan Review in Hansard. When challenged DIRECTLY about what Labor reforms would mean after 5 years, Barr said, “I refer you to the Quinlan Tax Review” (Hansard Estimate 18 – 6 – 123, page 87. The review (which you can all Google) shows an average tripling of rates.

Did Barr mislead? Or is Labor changing tune as a result of the Libs’ campaign? I’m not sure, yet you can’t claim these are Lib lies, and it’s up to Labor (and maybe Greens) to explain their law. Over to you…!

AsparagusSyndrome12:34 am 05 Oct 12

kakosi said :

AsparagusSyndrome said :

Is there an election coming up?

Apparently – or suddenly it’s the fashion to take huge headshot photos of yourself and tie them to trees, put them along roadways and paste them to walls.

I just thought that was a Floriade version of Facebook.

Matt_Watts said :

I am curious as to why you can’t vote. I’m sure the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website can help you become a citizen.

(…) the legislation to triple rates over the next several years has been passed.

Given that you work at Immigration, I would expect you’d understand some of the potential pitfalls. Anyway, I wasn’t complaining, the declaration was intended mainly in the spirit of full disclosure.

If you have legislation to point to, give us specifics. Numbers. Your side is claiming it’s “fact”, lay it out.

AsparagusSyndrome said :

Is there an election coming up?

Apparently – or suddenly it’s the fashion to take huge headshot photos of yourself and tie them to trees, put them along roadways and paste them to walls.

ummmm_no said :

Masquara said :

I managed to have a friendly conversation with a Labor candidate about the rates business – half hoping I might be convinced to stay in the Labor fold after all

I call utter bollocks.

I’m ineligible to vote here and come from a politically bankrupt nation, but I’ve lived here near on 15 years now, pay taxes, and have voters in my immediate family.

This morning’s discussion on 666 boiled down to “your rates will triple, but we can’t tell you by when because Labor won’t tell us”. I think that it would have already been (extremely) mathematically challenging for the Libs to get up in this election given the usual split of seats and the role of the Greens, but seriously, I find it difficult to imagine a weaker and more patronising campaign at a time where there seems to be some serious disillusionment to exploit.

Really?

I am curious as to why you can’t vote. I’m sure the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website can help you become a citizen.

But do you really think it is up to the Libs, without the benefit of the public service, to demonstrate how Minister Barr’s own reference to the Quinlan Review is misleading the Legislative Assembly? The ALP are back-peddling, yet the legislation to triple rates over the next several years has been passed.

As I’ve said elsewhere, there are pros and cons to this government’s proposal yet, I believe, in this instance, the negatives outweigh the positives. That’s why the Libs oppose this regressive change.

AsparagusSyndrome11:42 pm 04 Oct 12

Is there an election coming up?

Masquara said :

I managed to have a friendly conversation with a Labor candidate about the rates business – half hoping I might be convinced to stay in the Labor fold after all

I call utter bollocks.

I’m ineligible to vote here and come from a politically bankrupt nation, but I’ve lived here near on 15 years now, pay taxes, and have voters in my immediate family.

This morning’s discussion on 666 boiled down to “your rates will triple, but we can’t tell you by when because Labor won’t tell us”. I think that it would have already been (extremely) mathematically challenging for the Libs to get up in this election given the usual split of seats and the role of the Greens, but seriously, I find it difficult to imagine a weaker and more patronising campaign at a time where there seems to be some serious disillusionment to exploit.

Primal said :

The real issue: how sick I am of the phrase ‘Team Katy’.

I use it when the damn media releases give no clue as to whom the speaker might be.

The real issue: how sick I am of the phrase ‘Team Katy’.

Masquara said :

I managed to have a friendly conversation with a Labor candidate about the rates business – half hoping I might be convinced to stay in the Labor fold after all – dismayingly, the “it’s not that scary” defence I was given only applies to an average that is heavily weighted by a full third of the apartment properties at the low end of the rates scale (because their share is something like a 15th of a suburban block’s worth!). I was handed some guff that was meant to ease my mind, but I’m afraid it confirmed that the Liberals’ advertising for the average detached house dweller about rates tripling is in fact true. And no, not over decades, but over a few years. For those of us who have reached their “forever house” and will never be liable again for stamp duty, it’s an absolute hip-pocket bummer, and I confirm my treacherous vote change!

Rates will rise whatever colour of politics gets into government. They always have in the past, so I tend to view any party that says they won’t raise rates as out and out liars. At least the Labor candidate didn’t choose to lie to you.

I managed to have a friendly conversation with a Labor candidate about the rates business – half hoping I might be convinced to stay in the Labor fold after all – dismayingly, the “it’s not that scary” defence I was given only applies to an average that is heavily weighted by a full third of the apartment properties at the low end of the rates scale (because their share is something like a 15th of a suburban block’s worth!). I was handed some guff that was meant to ease my mind, but I’m afraid it confirmed that the Liberals’ advertising for the average detached house dweller about rates tripling is in fact true. And no, not over decades, but over a few years. For those of us who have reached their “forever house” and will never be liable again for stamp duty, it’s an absolute hip-pocket bummer, and I confirm my treacherous vote change!

neanderthalsis9:37 pm 04 Oct 12

cranky said :

cranky said :

But how are your human rights?

Thank you. LOL

Since I’m not in durance vile, my human rights are sadly diminished.

cranky said :

Labor are banging on about becoming more responsive to ‘roads and rubbish’, but I cannot believe that the goat track that is Wentworth Avenue, and the suspension busting trench on the Ipswitch St/Wiluna St intersection have slipped beneath the TAMS radar. Both have to have been reported constantly to Canberra Connect, but zero attention has been paid.

Labor couldn’t give a rats about these minor, but agravating, issues.

Yep there are many roads in the old south that need immediate attention however it’s clear that the guvment have chosen to direct funds elsewhere.It took them three months to allocate resources to replace the faulty inductive loop traffic light sensors at Canberra /Nyrang after i had reported them to Canberra Connect.

cranky said :

But how are your human rights?

Thank you. LOL

Thanks for your considered and thoughtful response to my comments Al.

You’re right about the way our system of government works. It is what it is. The cheese has moved and no amount of teeth gnashing on RA or anywhere else will make it come back so we have to live with what we’re got.

However, the current way of doing business has resulted in community attitudes towards the government ranging from contempt to total disengagement, and this does nobody any good. Something like half of our 18 and 19 year old citizens aren’t even enrolled to vote, and that’s a pretty shameful thing when people fight and die in other countries for the right to elect their government. Something has to change.

I wish you will in the upcoming election, and if you make it past the post I hope that your attitude towards a less adversarial and more collegiate, professional and effective decision making process will be carried through into the operation of the government.

cranky said :

Labor are banging on about becoming more responsive to ‘roads and rubbish’, but I cannot believe that the goat track that is Wentworth Avenue, and the suspension busting trench on the Ipswitch St/Wiluna St intersection have slipped beneath the TAMS radar. Both have to have been reported constantly to Canberra Connect, but zero attention has been paid.

Labor couldn’t give a rats about these minor, but agravating, issues.

But how are your human rights?

Labor are banging on about becoming more responsive to ‘roads and rubbish’, but I cannot believe that the goat track that is Wentworth Avenue, and the suspension busting trench on the Ipswitch St/Wiluna St intersection have slipped beneath the TAMS radar. Both have to have been reported constantly to Canberra Connect, but zero attention has been paid.

Labor couldn’t give a rats about these minor, but agravating, issues.

TAMS sounds just up your alley Al! I do hope you get in – we need more people with State local council experience so stuff actually gets done during the 4 year term, not 16 years hence.

Gungahlin Al6:09 pm 04 Oct 12

1, 4, 6, 7.

On 2 & 3, I’m less inclined to suspect corruption in public servants, and more inclined to suspect it’s a convenient excuse for the Liberals to put off submitting their costings until it’s too late for any ramifications. $700m slashed accidentally from the health budget anyone?

That said, I have been amazed at the massive unders and overs always going on with the treasury budget predictions over many years. We even had Treasury advice accidentally left behind (by a certain minister) at the GCC meet the candidates night in 2008 that advised them that any overseas financial troubles were unlikely to have any domestic effect, so they could leave all their election commitments as was. And we all know what happened to global financial markets within the next two months don’t we? A sage person once said to me: faced with either conspiracy or incompetence, err for incompetence every time.

On 4, the wheels seem to be coming off the Liberals’ rates rise billy cart today. And it’s long overdue that local media should do a little bit of fact checking and reporting the results, instead of just parroting he said – she said.

So here’s some factchecking of my own:
I’m in a newer suburbs so not exactly cheap land. My latest rates notice showed a $25,000 increase in unimproved land value, compared to $23,000 the previous year. The total rates bill this year was up $65.63 (5.5%) versus $59.69 the previous year (5.2%). So that’s $1.26 per week – right in line with the forecast for all but the most expensive blocks of land along Mugga Way and the like.
On the issue of tripling, applying a 5.5% increase every single year, it would be 21 years before the triple level was breached. Again – dead in line with the forecast. Don’t know about anyone else, but I intend to be retired and living in a shack in the bush or on a beach somewhere by 2030!

On 5, there is a suite of measures for anyone caught out in an asset-rich, cash-poor circumstance. This is not new, and was something we had to implement back when I was a councillor, and people found their beachside properties they bought 30 years ago with dirt streets and no sewage suddenly worth small fortunes and getting rated accordingly.

On 6, absolutely. That’s why I’ve been so busy the last 6 years – trying to get something done about it. A lot of wins, some losses. Some big (50m pool backflip anyone?) and lots little incremental changes. On the whole, I think we managed to pull off more for our community than a number of Opposition MLAs did.

There’s a lot to agree with in what LSWCHP said. People have had a gutful of the constant adversarial negativity that has typified the last four years of our Assembly. How can the Liberals expect anyone to take them seriously on something important when they are always complaining about absolutely every single thing? Boy cried wolf… The Council I was part of was free of party politics and every decision was made on its merits. The voting numbers changed constantly depending on the issue. It’s a better way of doing government. I know a lot of people questioned why then I joined in with the Greens – well this is how the Greens go about all their business – even down to ordinary meetings and debates, making it a very large part of the reason why. And I agree with the underlying policy platform.

But LSWCHP, I don’t agree there is a problem with the single level of government we have. It’s part of why I came back to Canberra. There are so many problems with having both State and Local Governments, with so much buck passing and road blocks to getting anything done. In ACT when you have an issue you can talk directly to the people involved – elected or salaried. What you manage to achieve then is up to your skills as a lobbyist or negotiator. And there are a lot of people around Australia quietly lobbying away to get rid of the state governments and swing over to the very model of regional government we already have here.

I think people need to get over their longing for pre-self-government days. It’s never going back. So work instead on making what we have work better. And if it’s dropping the ball on the municipal management basics (which it most certainly is!) then that’s the message you need to be hammering, instead of wasting time hankering for the good old days.

Thanks for reading. Sorry it got long. 🙂

rosscoact said :

“Will someone in Treasury corruptly hand over information to their mates in the Labor party? Probably”

No would you trust anything that Treasury hands you? That’s how we got into this mess in the fist place. A Treasury forecast, any Treasury forcast at all that is within 50% either way is considered to be a major victory.

I would be astounded if senior heads didn’t roll in that organised incompetence factory over the next four years no matter who gets in.

Correction: The incompetence factory that is ACT Treasury is not organised.

The Hawke Review’s key objective was to provide a plausible excuse to restructure-out known problem people. However, they put people like Neil Savery higher on the list of sackings because he did things like tell the Chief Minister to not interfere in his independent statutory functions, so he was a higher priority than the ACT Treasury “problems” that are still there.

johnboy said :

Collussii

With one ‘i’. Or is that Cyclops?

johnboy said :

Collussii

I knew I should have spent less time in the Uni Bar but cheap beer is cheap beer

“Will someone in Treasury corruptly hand over information to their mates in the Labor party? Probably”

No would you trust anything that Treasury hands you? That’s how we got into this mess in the fist place. A Treasury forecast, any Treasury forcast at all that is within 50% either way is considered to be a major victory.

I would be astounded if senior heads didn’t roll in that organised incompetence factory over the next four years no matter who gets in.

p1 said :

That last one should have looked like this….

rosscoact said :

Are you suggesting that we have a council to run municipal functions as well as a Territory government to run state functions?

When ever people make the ol’ “What we should have is a properly run town council” comment (happens a lot ’round here), I think what they mean is – we already do have both a “State Government” and a “Town Council”. They exist in the form of a single entity known as the ACT Legislative Assembly.

They question is – why does the “Town Council” part always seem to be unable to compete with the “Town Councils” of lots of small and medium sized localities comparable with Canberra?

I think because municipal functions are not ‘sexy’ to politicians or bureaucrats. They wish to stride like Colossus (not sure what the plural of Colossus is) on the big stage thinking about big things.

As my dear old dad used to say, stuff the big picture just get stuff done.

p1 said :

That last one should have looked like this….

rosscoact said :

Are you suggesting that we have a council to run municipal functions as well as a Territory government to run state functions?

When ever people make the ol’ “What we should have is a properly run town council” comment (happens a lot ’round here), I think what they mean is – we already do have both a “State Government” and a “Town Council”. They exist in the form of a single entity known as the ACT Legislative Assembly.

They question is – why does the “Town Council” part always seem to be unable to compete with the “Town Councils” of lots of small and medium sized localities comparable with Canberra?

That’s correct. But the state government aspect doesn’t seem to operate all that well either. The health system has been plagued by scandal over the last year. We have more kids in private schools than in our public schools. And nobody is reeling in horror at JB’s suggestion of probable corruption in the ACT public service in point 2 above.

Meanwhile we get policy devoted to shopping bags and shopping trolleys.

My point is that the current implementation of adversarial politics in the ACT is not serving us well. We would be better served by the government paying more attention to the administration and delivery of services, with an effective opposition maintaining a careful scrutiny over the process.

Pirate_Biggles1:32 pm 04 Oct 12

NoImRight said :

If the service less than the cost of hiring a trailer sounds like its a good idea.

Sorry, that should have been ‘Not less’. Hiring a trailer is the cheaper option.

Stuart Biggs
Pirate Party ACT

Pirate_Biggles said :

On the last point, I find it astounding that Canberra cannot seem to implement a ‘hard rubbish’ day without charging for individual collections.
These are the details of the available trial:
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/live/recycling-waste/options/bulky_waste_collection_service
Unfortunately, the cost for this service is less than the cost of hiring a trailer and dumping the goods yourself with the help of a couple of friends.

The service would only be used by a particular household once every few months with individual collection charges, so the very point of it being a trial of a regular service is negated.
Both large cities and small towns can manage this service, why can’t the ACT?

Stuart Biggs
Pirate Party ACT

If the service less than the cost of hiring a trailer sounds like its a good idea.

That last one should have looked like this….

rosscoact said :

Are you suggesting that we have a council to run municipal functions as well as a Territory government to run state functions?

When ever people make the ol’ “What we should have is a properly run town council” comment (happens a lot ’round here), I think what they mean is – we already do have both a “State Government” and a “Town Council”. They exist in the form of a single entity known as the ACT Legislative Assembly.

They question is – why does the “Town Council” part always seem to be unable to compete with the “Town Councils” of lots of small and medium sized localities comparable with Canberra?

LSWCHP said :

Nicely put JB.

What we should have is a properly run town council. What we have is a bunch of boofheads who think they’re on centre stage at the United Nations.

I’d like to see an end to all of the amateur hour student politics, name calling and waste of time and money. I would like to see that nonsense replaced by some efficient and professional administration that delivers the services the community needs with minimum expenditure and maximum benefit to the community.

The participants in this shambles appear to believe that they have the citizens of Canberra onside. I wonder if that’s what they really believe, or are they cynically taking us for mugs while they smilingly cruise along in their highly paid jobs, producing lots of sound and fury that signify nothing.

Are you suggesting that we have a council to run municipal functions as well as a Territory government to run state functions? Seems a bit excessive for this little place.

If you’re suggesting a council instead of a Territory government, which State’s health, emergency services and education systems should we use? Given we will have to pay them taxes without being able to vote for them, I’d also be interested in which State will provide us with our policies too?

for a real un biased look at what is happening to your rates, the act revenue office has calculators so you can calculate this years and last years rates for your property, all you need is you acv you can work this out off allhome if you dont know it

act revenue office:
http://www.revenue.act.gov.au/rates/rates_calculation

Pirate_Biggles11:21 am 04 Oct 12

On the last point, I find it astounding that Canberra cannot seem to implement a ‘hard rubbish’ day without charging for individual collections.
These are the details of the available trial:
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/live/recycling-waste/options/bulky_waste_collection_service
Unfortunately, the cost for this service is less than the cost of hiring a trailer and dumping the goods yourself with the help of a couple of friends.

The service would only be used by a particular household once every few months with individual collection charges, so the very point of it being a trial of a regular service is negated.
Both large cities and small towns can manage this service, why can’t the ACT?

Stuart Biggs
Pirate Party ACT

LSWCHP said :

Nicely put JB.

What we should have is a properly run town council. What we have is a bunch of boofheads who think they’re on centre stage at the United Nations.

I’d like to see an end to all of the amateur hour student politics, name calling and waste of time and money. I would like to see that nonsense replaced by some efficient and professional administration that delivers the services the community needs with minimum expenditure and maximum benefit to the community.

The participants in this shambles appear to believe that they have the citizens of Canberra onside. I wonder if that’s what they really believe, or are they cynically taking us for mugs while they smilingly cruise along in their highly paid jobs, producing lots of sound and fury that signify nothing.

Unfortunately, party politics is seeping down in to councils at a greater rate, looking over the border at NSW. Hoping for a trickle up to our Mediocracy may be a little late.

Nicely put JB.

What we should have is a properly run town council. What we have is a bunch of boofheads who think they’re on centre stage at the United Nations.

I’d like to see an end to all of the amateur hour student politics, name calling and waste of time and money. I would like to see that nonsense replaced by some efficient and professional administration that delivers the services the community needs with minimum expenditure and maximum benefit to the community.

The participants in this shambles appear to believe that they have the citizens of Canberra onside. I wonder if that’s what they really believe, or are they cynically taking us for mugs while they smilingly cruise along in their highly paid jobs, producing lots of sound and fury that signify nothing.

– Will someone in Treasury corruptly hand over information to their mates in the Labor party? Probably

+1

Point 6.

+1.

“If we’re elected, we’ll do things we should have done during any one of the previous 3 terms but didn’t”.

Yeah, sure you will.

colourful sydney racing identity8:28 am 04 Oct 12

I think that the Liberals have fallen short with the Labor and the Greens will triple your rates, they should have run with

‘Vote Labor and you and everyone you care about will die’*

*eventually

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